"A household residing in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted attention throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered he. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share similar concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and living both cultures. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
